She led Simon to one room and then led Champ to another room just up the hall. The room itself was very modest. A bed with clean sheets and blankets was placed in the corner on the right side of the room, a single window was in the center of the back wall and overlooked the lake, and to the left was a small desk used for writing.

“Make yourself at home Champ, if you need anything I'll be last door down the hall,” Minara said.

“Thank you, Minara, I appreciate it greatly,” Champ said

Minara gently pulled the door shut as she left. Champ stood still only a few steps inside the room in his new surroundings. He set his pack down near the foot of the bed along with his shoes, he rummaged around inside the bag and looked for something. After a moment he pulled out a small leather bound book.

The sides and edges of the book were worn with use and age and showed lighter shades of a leathery brown compared to the rest of the book. Champ placed it down on the writing desk and sat down. He lifted his pen and wrote rapidly inside of it. He jotted down to the best of his knowledge everything he knew about his powers.

“Alright, what can I do exactly…” Champ muttered

“Simon mentioned summoning? But how would someone summon lightning? That doesn't make sense. I made birds, lightning, a bigger bird? Ugh,” Simon thought

Simon was exhausted and became frustrated as he realized how little he knew still. He continued to write, mentioning how it felt to use the brand and how it felt when the things he made disappeared. After roughly thirty or so minutes of writing and thinking, he stood up and closed the book.

“Tomorrow, there's always tomorrow,” Champ said softly

He changed into some looser cleaner clothes for sleeping, he wouldn't have bothered to change but after he saw how well Minara kept the place he would have felt terrible if he dirtied anything. Champ laid down in the nice soft bed and pulled the covers up high. He tossed and turned unable to bring himself to sleep. So many questions were left unanswered in his mind. Besides, dreams hadn't been the most pleasant to Champ in these past few days.

Thankfully, some much-needed rest greeted Champ and Simon, and for the first time in a long while, silence graced their slumber.

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A new morning sun shone its warm rays through the slight opening in the window curtains. The warmth draped across Champ’s face. The light illuminated the small dust particles that floated through the air. Champ's eyelids lifted slowly his eyes still felt slow and heavy from his deep rest. Champ sat up and stretched, his body ached and felt tense. He stood and headed toward the window.

Champ opened the curtain and gazed out at the shimmering lights that danced just on the surface of the lake. The rising sun created a beautiful display of warm oranges and bright yellows that ebbed and flowed with the small shifts of the water. Champ opened the window and felt the cool morning air flow in and he stood still as it refreshed his warm skin. The smell of fresh air and pine trees invigorated him, as he breathed deeply.

He turned to his leather-bound journal on the writing desk and flipped it open with a pen in hand. He opened it to a fresh new page and wrote

Goals - Conjure something, Do my best, Get stronger.

“This will bring me one step closer to going home, bit by bit I'll get there.” He whispered as he closed his book. A knock echoed on the door to the room.

“Champ are you awake young sir?” Simon said muffled through the closed door.

“Oh! Simon good morning please come in” Said Champ

Simon opened the door and waved to Champ. The unkempt man wasn't dressed in his usual tattered brown traveling clothes and it took Champ to recognize him. He wasn't that all unkempt any longer Champ realized.

Simon wore a deep sage green shirt, with dark brown pants. His unkempt beard was clean-shaven and showed off his dimpled chin. His normally straggly hair of mixed shades of brown was cut much shorter and partered neatly down the center. He looked clean, both metaphorically and literally, Champ thought jokingly in his head.

“Maybe this is Minara's illusions? Or did you clean yourself up, Simon?” Champ said as he struggled to hold back a smile

“Alright alright that's fair, but it's no illusion. It is a promise. If I'm to be your teacher, your guardian, and you, my ward, I must look the part!” Simon said.

Champ was completely caught off guard by this gesture. Simon had already saved him more than enough times, especially for barely knowing him. His throat choked up

“I'm honored Simon, I- I hope to be as good of a student as you have been a friend,” Champ replied.

Simon turned away from Champ in the doorway before he spoke. Champ noticed him quickly wipe something away from his face.

“Right then, Minara is already waiting for us outside for your first lesson. I talked to her earlier this morning about our situation, and graciously she has offered to house us for a time, at least long enough for you to get a better understanding of your abilities.” Simon said

“Her abilities of illusion should keep the hounds off our trail for a time, so we must use it to the best of our ability. Are you ready young sir?”